Hyggen responds to WestJet announcing the discontinuance of Lethbridge flights
By Lethbridge Herald on February 26, 2026.
Herald Photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Mayor Blaine Hyggen says airport will remain open despite WestJet announcing discontinuing commercial flights come June 24.By Alexandra Noad
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter- Lethbridge Herald
*Editor’s Note* This is an updated version of the story as the original had misinformation in it pertaining to the funding amount for the renovation. The initial story said the Lethbridge Airport went through a $2.3 million renovation, when in fact the airport went through more than $25 million in renovations since 2022.
WestJet announced on Monday they will be discontinuing their commercial flights out of Lethbridge as of June 24.
Mayor Blaine Hyggen says this announcement came as a complete bombshell to him, but was a prime example of “if you don’t use it, you lose it.”
“I understand a lot of the struggles over the past (few years) that folks have had with their cancellations et cetera…but if it’s not viable for a business, and that being WestJet, we’ve seen this prior with AirCanada, this is why they decide to make some of these decisions they’ve made.”
The Lethbridge airport has underwent more than $25 million in renovations since 2022, but Hyggen clarified that the 93 per cent of the funding for the project came from provincial and federal supports, while the other seven per cent came from the city.
“I want to be perfectly clear that 93 per cent of the cost for the renovations at the airport to get it to where it needs to be, not just for commercial, but also for the infrastructure that needed to be replaced, was by provincial dollars.”
The Lethbridge airport is home to medevac services, RCMP landing, private planes and an air school and will not be closed down because of those services, but Hyggen also recognizes the importance of having commercial flights to keep the airport sustainable.
Conversations began Tuesday for city council as they approved a work plan for the airport which includes looking at bringing in other prospective airlines to the airport.
Hyggen says they hope to get a carrier to continue commercial flights out of Lethbridge sooner rather than later.
“The plan going forward is to continue to do our work as far as the work plan that was presented to us yesterday and try to reach out to other smaller carriers that may be able to do those trips to Calgary, Edmonton or maybe there’s someplace else that folks are finding there’s a large demand to fly to.”
He adds that he is confident in his administration and the work they will continue to do, but there’s a long road ahead of them.
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I wonder if Hyggen understands that the $25 million spent didn’t just appear out of thin air. It was taxpayer money which is you and I.
But it wasn’t local money! It was just… taxpayer money…
So here’s thr Mayor, trying to blame residents of Lethbridge for not using the air service. This has been a white elephant for years, and now the Mayor is trying to justify the expense to the taxpayer, after foolishly buying it from the County.
Carry on, Mr Mayor, keep wasting our tax dollars. We could have built a bridge instead! But I guess we wont need it now….
This is the civic equivalent of building a luxury gym in your garage and then blaming your neighbours for not showing up at 6 am
One flight per day, to one destination, at a time that misses nearly all connections to other destinations
Likely to be cancelled anyway
Exorbitant pricing for a 30 minute flight
But its Lethbridges fault for not using it
The high costs of flying between Lethbridge and Calgary were the biggest factor. Red Arrow goes to the airport from Lethbridge in a reasonable time and many decided to use that for a fraction of the cost! The other factor was the poorly timed one flight per day! But . . . that was due to lack of people using the service. Even airlines have a small profit margin!
Decades ago, Stubb Ross started Time Air to provide service to those doing business in Calgary, offering timely morning flights in the morning to Calgary, then supper time flights returning to Lethbridge, to fit the needs of those doing business. The rates were reasonable and the flight times suited those travelling for business . . . but much has changed since then, with some able to have group meetings online using Zoom or MS Teams, etc. The high cost of fuel, environmental taxes compounding costs, have increased the costs as well, along with other factors.
The upgrades were necessary and will still be needed in the future! There will be another service come into Lethbridge . . . it is not the first time an airline has pulled out due to lack of support and won’t be the last! Business is business and it very much was the fact Lethbridge did not have enough people using the service to sustain the costs of the airline flying in and out of here! They should have given both cities more warning though!
We are the third largest city in the province and the airport will see another service come in to replace services! The sky has not fallen!!
withdrawn, with apology. i just meant to take issue with pursuit’s rants that so often heap hate on the likes of ndp, muslims, palestinians…i regret it may well have presented like i support such ignorance.
Was this a necessary comment? smh
would edit my above entry further to note that my trying to be a troll targeted the wrong writer. my issue on the above matter is with say what, not pursuit driver. big apology to pursuit driver: very sorry.
my lesson learnt – better to be quiet than to be a fool.
If ‘use it or lose it’ was the strategy, why did we spend millions before proving demand?
Blindsided? Bombshell?
Sir. The plane was landing half empty for years. The only thing shocking is that it lasted this long